Erin Krakow‘s love for her “When Calls the Heart” co-stars isn’t just an act — she really does adore them!
In a birthday shoutout to Ava Grace Cooper, who plays Opal Weise on the Hallmark classic, Krakow gushed over the young woman who Cooper has grown up to become right before her very eyes.
Erin Krakow Wishes Ava Grace Cooper a Happy 17th Birthday
“Happy happy birthday to this cherub of a human being! @avagcooper you’ve been like family from the moment we met,” Krakow captioned a lovely photo of Cooper on her Instagram. “What an honor it is to watch you grow up. I’d say you’ve turned into the loveliest, kindest, most caring person – but you’ve always been that way (aside from that time you asked me not to sing because you liked the crickets better). I adore you and I hope you had the most wonderful day!”
Cooper, who turned 17 years old on March 2, responded back to Krakow’s doting message, writing in her comments, “This is so sweet! I love you so much, thank you!!! 💕.”
Fellow “WCTH” star Andrea Brooks, who plays Dr. Faith Carter, celebrated Cooper in the comments, writing, “Wooo! Happy birthday!!!”
The official Instagram account for “WCTH” also shared a heartfelt post for Cooper alongside a beautiful photo of her on set.
“#Hearties! Join us in wishing @avagcooper a very happy birthday today! What a joy it’s been to have you as part of the family all these years, Ava,” the caption said. “Wishing you a special day and year ahead. Happy birthday!”
Billy Christos Jr., who plays Toby Kovalenko on “WCTH,” left a kind message for Cooper in the comments, writing, “Happy Birthday Ava! 🎂🥳🩵.”
Cooper has been an active star on “WCTH” since season 3 in 2016. At the time she joined the show, she was only 5 years old, her IMDb reported.
Ava Grace Cooper’s Future Career Plans
When talking with Edify Films in a 2025 interview, Cooper talked about her experience as a child actor on the Hallmark favorite. “I was pretty nervous but really excited ’cause it seemed so fun. I think my mom watched a little bit before I came on… It was super amazing, ’cause when I got on set, everyone was so welcoming, so it was amazing,” she explained.
Cooper went on to detail how “WCTH” has shaped her identity. Although her classmates are aware of her acting career, she shared that they don’t often talk to her about it. She does, however, get approached by fans outside of school.
“It’s interesting — it’s like surprised me; I’m like, ‘Woah! People actually know me,'” she said of fan interactions.
Despite her successful acting career, Cooper shared in her interview that after sticking with showbiz until the age of 20, she plans to work with animals or become a nurse as her future career.
That’s such a lovely thing to do, it’s wonderful to see actors supporting each other like that.